I know you've heard this before--but I am having problems with my Honda (Isuzu) P-O-S Passport. It is a 2001, and it has 60K miles. I had to have the transmission rebuilt at 40K miles, but that's another story. Here's my problem:
About a month ago, I started my car in the morning, all my lights on the instrument panel self-checked and went off. I backed out of my driveway, put the car in drive (it is an automatic trans BTW), and my check engine light started blinking. So I pulled into a driveway, pulled out my manual, and saw that a blinking check engine light usually meant that the engine was misfiring and to get it into service right away. So I turned around to drive home. When I coasted (not pressing the gas), the light went off, but came back on (blinking) when I pressed the gas. Right before I got back to my driveway, it cut off. Went inside, called hubby, he said to start it again and see if it came back on. It didn't. I drove to work (30 miles, and got into high speeds on the interstate) and it never came back on. I called the dealership (Isuzu, the Honda people had no idea what to do) and they stressed the importance of the fact that blinking was very serious and could do a lot of damage if left untreated, but told me I didn't need to bring it in since it was no longer blinking.
Today, over a month later, it did the same thing. Except this time, the blinking light only lasted about 1/2 a mile. I stopped at the end of the street, cut the car off, waited a few minutes, then cut it back on. It didn't come back on and I made it to work ok. I don't know what to do! Could this just be a fluke or is this a warning of something more serious to come? I don't want to take it back to the dealership, because NO ONE knows how to work on this car! I had to take it to 3 different mechanics to finally fix the transmission, and it's not really right (I have a hard shift when it kicks into overdrive at 45MPH unless I remember to take my foot off the gas right before it shifts). Please help! Any advice is most appreciated!

 

find and isuzu forum, not many of us know jack about what happens with passports here

 

here's how you resolve this problem...sell the isuzu - it is as you say a POS and you'll have a never ending saga of problems with it

i think this was Honda's biggest mistake they ever made besides dropping the Legend and making it into a glorified accord

 

can we get a sticky saying not to bring passport/SLX specific problems here?

 

if its a misfire, you could just need to get new plugs or one of the coil packs may have gone bad. you really could stop by autozone and have them check what code is being stored for free before going to the dealer to verify the problem is ignition related. you can post up the results from get the codes scanned and we can try and help you from there. otherwise, take it to an isuzu dealer and have them work on the truck.

 

Passports are tricky when it comes to check engine lites. I would definately make sure the car has NGK plugs and not champions. Also a good thing to remember is when the check engine flashes it also means that your doing or may be doing damage to the catalitic converter. Take it to someone who can pull the exact code from the car. Thats the only way to approach this. Without a code ist gonna be hard to find the problem.

 

I know this is an Older post BUT....I have had 3 Isuzu's so far including my now 2001 Honda Passport. I say Isuzu for the current Honda because I believe only the Name, Rims, and Air Bags are HONDA the other 98% is the Isuzu Rodeo. That being said for future issues for others here is more. I have a DOHC 2 wheel drive with the 2 buttons yadda yadda...well this PAIN of a vehicle is only hard to work on for a few good reasons.

1) Honda was trying to get dip a bit more into the SUV line and got to work with a well back then cheaper SUV low level line that would help sales. The parts for this vehicle will Always and forever be ISUZU not Honda for EVERYTHING!! Yes you can still go to Honda for answers if anyone knows anything but please got to Isuzu for it all they know this vehicle and can help you better get to the bottom of your issues.

2) This is a vehicle with hard to find parts and the reason being is junk yards automatically take parts off that are commonly asked for and then recycled (Yeah got for the planet)

3) there is little to no information on anything with this vehicle even with the wiper fluid lol yes the rear fluid is filled by the main tank and the pump is located at the bottom and yes you have to take the whole inner finder off to get to it and Oh for the love of everything I hope to find make videos of your problems, fixes, a scream to the world asking who else has delt with this and who else can help the chain reaction problems that will and I mean 100% WILL follow any work done.

4) Please take out all anger and stress on this machine but be nice it is still a decent vehicle and will treat you good if you do the same with ALL maintenance ( PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE keep a detailed report of everything from cost, where you had to find parts, to even the after market parts you had no choice to get it will help others in the future as well as you. (you do get they are write offs with taxes right)

5) So all the negative and my frustrated with other owners in the world who forget or give up on key help for others is a few positive.
A) great starter car for Teen because it can fit the Emergency things we pack in their car that will fill up the trunk this has that extra room for all those other details we seem to forget....Sports gear, trips to the store for us, emergency camping due to unforeseen (lol ya right us moms have the back up and the next 4 in play before anyone talks about activities camping)

B) I have loved to learn on this vehicles engine it is simple easy for anyone ya some things are a pain but worth that extra I now have to tap the bit into the socket so I dont have to hunt and find a socket (trick or ya GLOW IN THE DARK PAINT or JUST $1 STORE GLOW STICKS FOR those you know they run into the night fixes.

C) You will love it after you spent so much time and effort to find a solution to the problem learning what those codes really mean. Not all of them mean with Honda says they mean OBD2 for this vehicle is the (real) Year and Isuzu Rodeo with what ever you have because they are the true maker and Honda never got all the information for us owners and Home Mechanics like me.

Well I hope you had found your issue this flashing Fix me now is a big deal it is low everything except the breaks and AC. Yep you are low on OIL, possible vacuum leak (spray bottle with Soapy water liberal on the dawn), Transmission needs to be serviced ASAP it is so low on oil (yes OIL my friends) that it has heated up and blew the gasket and has gone dry or about to. Oh here is the kicker your O2 sensors will not show a code for anything wrong with them and you will have hidden codes so learn about the tests and values needed UNDER ISUZU RODEO not HONDA never HONDA. you will get lean rich value, sensors not working for any reason or low maybe even high values that did not catch the ECU( computer's red flag of check me out please light that we all look at going you gave me how many codes that actually mean one code because all Isuzu codes have another that goes with it and only 5 that have NONE but hidden ones that didn't peak the computers brain ( the so stupid it needs reset unit..or update yes updates for your suv) now will all of the misfire codes, pressure issue codes, Throttle code hidden with the others but will never tell us it is the throttle lol. Sensors that are having issues with easy fixes and none that tell you check leaks, fluids, and clean all plugs and put new dialectic stuff in them please and once done with those check codes again I know they change or go away but the issues are there. Again they will always fall below the computers ability to flag it because the values of the part are just under the specs.

I have so much more knowledge on this vehicle I swear I am just about an expert. so hit me up if needed but first check out Isuzu sites, Forums, and Youtube for the answers i will be adding some videos do to no one out there showing me how they did things or tips on things companies have said NO NO dont do that and get this You can fix parts on your vehicle they just want you to buy that ever impossible new one.

I love my POS and Will Drive It till it falls apart from RUST...lol oh ya that just started happening for mine gotta pull out the welder and drill with that wire brush bit we hate and love.